Educational Science

Space rocks that slammed into the glaciers of eastern Canada some 12,900 years ago likely helped wipe out mega-animals like woolly mammoths and possibly the continent's first human inhabitants called the Clovis people, according to a new study that adds to evidence that a trio of factors were involved. The...

Before Dinosaurs, the First Tree-Climber Revealed

Long before dinosaurs dominated the Earth, ancient relatives to mammals climbed forests to feed on leaves and live high above predators that prowled the land. The elongated fingers, opposable thumb, long curved claws and grasping tail of a small, huge-eyed plant-eating animal known as Suminia getmanovi demonstrate that this is...

A newly discovered repulsive aspect to light could one day control telecommunications devices with greater speed and less power, researchers said today. The discovery was made by splitting infrared light into two beams that each travel on a different length of silicon nanowire, called a waveguide. The two light beams...

Tough Microbe Has The Right Stuff for Mars

Biologists have found microbes that live in the hottest, coldest, driest and most unpleasant places on Earth. Many of these bugs don't adapt well to new surroundings, but one microbe is remarkable for withstanding a wide range of conditions. This quality might make this unique organism suitable for adapting to...

Far-Out Photo: Sunrise in Space

Astronauts orbiting Earth see a lot more sunrises and sunsets that those of us stranded on the surface. They circle the planet every 90 minutes, and the sun just keeps coming. A new picture of a sunrise from space was taken with a handheld camera by astronauts Friday on the...

Nearly Extinct California Frog Rediscovered

For the first time in nearly 50 years, a population of a nearly extinct type of frog has been rediscovered in California’s San Bernardino National Forest. The rare mountain yellow-legged frog was re-found when biologists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and scientists from the San Diego Natural History Museum...

Robot Model Hits the Runway

What appeared to be petite woman in an elaborate wedding dress walked slowly down the runway in an Osaka fashion show earlier this week. The twist is that this was no blushing bride; this was the HRP-4C female robot. Though encumbered by an elaborate wedding dress, HRP-4C easily navigated the...

Swearing Makes Pain More Tolerable

That muttered curse word that reflexively comes out when you stub your toe could actually make it easier to bear the throbbing pain, a new study suggests. Swearing is a common response to pain, but no previous research has connected the uttering of an expletive to the actual physical experience...

Huge Fossilized Dung Reveals a Hidden Ancient Ecosystem

The world might be knee-deep in cow patties and other animal waste today were it not for dung beetles. Dung beetles roll the waste of large animals into tiny balls that they bury underground to snack on later. Burying the dung fertilizes the soil and reduces disease, but the benefits...